In their first tournament since their disappointing showing at the NCCAA DI National Tournament, the BJU Bruins golf team finished in third place at the Columbia College Fall Invitational Tournament in Columbia.

Heading into the first round, the Bruins were looking to accomplish one of their last goals for the 2015 fall season—to break a team score of 300.

The greens were easier to play because the course received rain during the past couple of weeks.

However, the wet ground and another storm passing through Columbia as the tournament began caused the course to play at a longer distance than it was measured at, making it even more difficult for the team to reach its goal.

The men got off to a tremendous start during the first round, as Tyler Smith, Micah Gold and Blake Counts were around even par throughout the day.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, the first round was shortened to just nine holes, as the back nine was deemed unplayable. They finished the round in second place, just four shots out of the lead.

Both Counts and Smith were at +2 (38), with Gold at +3 (39), while Matt Shannon posted +8 (44).

“I played decently on the first nine, and felt confident I could go low on the second nine,” a disappointed Blake Counts said.

“So to hear we were stopping was a disappointment in that aspect. However, it was nice to be able to get out of the rain and go back to the house and relax.”

In the second round, Smith started out hot, finishing at -1 through the first 15 holes, but he bogeyed his final three holes to finish at +2 (74).

The rest of the team did not fair as well, as they finished in third place overall with a team total of 314 (Smith – 74, Counts – 78, James – 79, Gold – 83, Shannon – 86).

The final tournament of the fall season is being held today and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, at the Green Valley Country Club in Greenville, South Carolina.